Marvelous video Annie! Thank you so much for posting! My family has already watched it several times. We are leaving in a few days for the same cruise and your recap has made us even more excited! Questions: Did you sign up with any tour groups in Barcelona or did you do everything on your own? Do your recommend any tours in particular in Florence?
Rachel Shira We did everything on our own in Barcelona. We arrived in Barcelona just the day before the cruise. On the first cruise day, we visited Sagrada Familia all morning (be sure to book tickets online in advance because so many people were standing in a long line to buy tickets) and then went to the cruise terminal for the check-in of Norwegian Epic. After finishing the cruise, we spent one day visiting the other scenic spots in Barcelona with subway T10 ticket. It's very convenient and cheap. In Florence, Duomo and Galleria degli Uffizi are the highlights. Since we visited Florence and Pisa 20 years ago, we just made a brief visit this time. On the way back from Florence to Livorno, you can stop over at Pisa to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Some passengers did so and could make it. You had better take the early train at Livorno and have train timetable on hand. Finally, have a very wonderful and pleasant trip!
Hi Annie Liu! Thank you for sharing this video and highlighting your trip. We will be making the same trip and was wondering if you have any tips for us. Thank you so much in advance!
lei fara Thanks for your watching! Like many passengers, we made arrangements by ourselves for all shore excursions. Therefore, we saved a lot of money. For example, we bought BIRG ticket from Civitavecchia to Rome (only 12 euros each person, BIRG can be used for round-trip train, subway and bus in Rome within a day). This is for your reference. Have a nice trip!
Hi Annie, We'll be going to Barcelona in January and cruise after. Can you let me know how long does it take to travel from port to Rome on the train and does it stop close to the Vatican and can you recommend which website to go in to buy ticket for the Vatican and Sangrada famila? I have 2 elder(75yo) person and want to make sure they can walk. Thanks!
+Q win It takes about 40-50 minutes from Civitavecchia to Roma S. Pietro train station. You can buy ticket at the ticket counter (12 euros each person, BIRG can be used for round-trip, including bus and subway in Rome) at Civitavecchia station. It takes about 15 minutes from Roma S. Pietro station to the Vatican on foot and you can also take bus no.64 beside the train station to the Vatican. websites: europeforvisitors.com/rome/civitavecchia/civitavecchia-to-rome-by-train.htm traintorome.maxonthenet.altervista.org/?lang=eng We didn't buy tickets to visit the museum of the Vatican this time because we had visited there many years ago. However, if you want to visit Sagrada Familia, you had better buy tickets in advance. website: www.sagradafamilia.org/en/tickets/ Have a nice trip!
Hey Annie, question for you, how easy is it to get on and off the ship? I notice on the itinerary you only have about a day at each stop, but then they say you have to start boarding like 3 hours before leaving each port? How does that work exactly? Also, how much time would you allot to catch a flight on the last day of the cruise? Thanks!
Nick Duong I take 2015/6/3 itinerary for an example. The ship arrived in Civitavecchia at 6:00 am and departed at 7:00 pm. We left the ship at 7:00 am and returned at 6:00 pm. We were told to return to the ship before 6:30 pm, usually 30 minutes before the departure time at each stop. On the last day, the ship arrived in Barcelona at 5:am. I saw some people leaving the ship at 7:00 am. Maybe some people left the ship earlier, I am not sure. As for us, we left the ship at 7:30 am and stayed in Barcelona for one day tour. It was very smooth through customs and it takes about 30 minutes from cruise terminal to Barcelona International Airport by taxi.
+Annie Liu Thanks so much for your reponse and sorry it took so long to reply! I probably will reach out to you more as our April 2016 cruise nears if you don't mind. After my thorough reading it sounds like all ports are do-able on your own, except Livorno (Florence/pisa) because of how far it is? Is this true? I am trying to save money and book everything on my own..any tips on where to go, how to get around, if it is do-able, etc.! Greatly appreciate!
+Nick Duong I am very glad to answer your questions. According to our itinerary, the ship arrived at Livorno pier at 7 am on June 4, 2015. We left the ship before 8 am and took the shuttle bus to the Livorno Centrale train station (we bought tickets just beside the ship, round-trip 12 euros each person). Then we took 8:52 train and arrived in Firenze S. M. Novella (Florence) at 10:00 (round-trip 18.4 euros each person, travel time 1 hr 8 min or 1 hr 20 min). Since we had been to Florence and Pisa once before the cruise, we just went on a whistle-stop tour of Florence. We took 14:28 train at Firenze S. M. Novella (Florence) and returned to Livorno at 15:48. We were early enough to return. The ship asked the passengers to return before 6:30 pm and it would depart at 7 pm. I remember some passengers got off at Pisa train station to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa while we were on the train back to Livorno. Pisa is close to Livorno. Be sure to print the train timetable and map of Florence. I think it is easy for you to make arrangements for the trip.
Hi Again, we're also stop in Sicily, palmero. Is there public transportation we can take, or should we book private tour(I have a tour guy quote for $320) and where do you recommends to go see. Thank you in advance.
Was hoping to see more of the ship.
A nice ship and a fantastic cruise!
Videonya bagus, kapal terakhir saat masih berkerja di NCL,
Marvelous video Annie! Thank you so much for posting! My family has already watched it several times. We are leaving in a few days for the same cruise and your recap has made us even more excited! Questions: Did you sign up with any tour groups in Barcelona or did you do everything on your own? Do your recommend any tours in particular in Florence?
Rachel Shira We did everything on our own in Barcelona. We arrived in Barcelona just the day before the cruise. On the first cruise day, we visited Sagrada Familia all morning (be sure to book tickets online in advance because so many people were standing in a long line to buy tickets) and then went to the cruise terminal for the check-in of Norwegian Epic. After finishing the cruise, we spent one day visiting the other scenic spots in Barcelona with subway T10 ticket. It's very convenient and cheap. In Florence, Duomo and Galleria degli Uffizi are the highlights. Since we visited Florence and Pisa 20 years ago, we just made a brief visit this time. On the way back from Florence to Livorno, you can stop over at Pisa to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Some passengers did so and could make it. You had better take the early train at Livorno and have train timetable on hand. Finally, have a very wonderful and pleasant trip!
Hi Annie Liu! Thank you for sharing this video and highlighting your trip. We will be making the same trip and was wondering if you have any tips for us. Thank you so much in advance!
lei fara
Thanks for your watching! Like many passengers, we made arrangements by
ourselves for all shore excursions. Therefore, we saved a lot of money. For example, we bought BIRG ticket from
Civitavecchia to Rome (only 12 euros each person, BIRG can be used for round-trip
train, subway and bus in Rome within a day). This is for your reference. Have a nice trip!
Hi Annie, We'll be going to Barcelona in January and cruise after. Can you let me know how long does it take to travel from port to Rome on the train and does it stop close to the Vatican and can you recommend which website to go in to buy ticket for the Vatican and Sangrada famila? I have 2 elder(75yo) person and want to make sure they can walk. Thanks!
+Q win It takes about 40-50 minutes from Civitavecchia to Roma S. Pietro train station. You can buy ticket at the ticket counter (12 euros each person, BIRG can be used for round-trip, including bus and subway in Rome) at Civitavecchia station. It takes about 15 minutes from Roma S. Pietro station to the Vatican on foot and you can also take bus no.64 beside the train station to the Vatican. websites: europeforvisitors.com/rome/civitavecchia/civitavecchia-to-rome-by-train.htm traintorome.maxonthenet.altervista.org/?lang=eng
We didn't buy tickets to visit the museum of the Vatican this time because we had visited there many years ago. However, if you want to visit Sagrada Familia, you had better buy tickets in advance. website: www.sagradafamilia.org/en/tickets/ Have a nice trip!
+Annie Liu Thank you for your quick respond. The train sound way more reasonable price, comparing 450euro for 8 in private van.
Hey Annie, question for you, how easy is it to get on and off the ship? I notice on the itinerary you only have about a day at each stop, but then they say you have to start boarding like 3 hours before leaving each port? How does that work exactly? Also, how much time would you allot to catch a flight on the last day of the cruise? Thanks!
Nick Duong I take 2015/6/3 itinerary for an example. The ship arrived in Civitavecchia at 6:00 am and departed at 7:00 pm. We left the ship at 7:00 am and returned at 6:00 pm. We were told to return to the ship before 6:30 pm, usually 30 minutes before the departure time at each stop. On the last day, the ship arrived in Barcelona at 5:am. I saw some people leaving the ship at 7:00 am. Maybe some people left the ship earlier, I am not sure. As for us, we left the ship at 7:30 am and stayed in Barcelona for one day tour. It was very smooth through customs and it takes about 30 minutes from cruise terminal to Barcelona International Airport by taxi.
+Annie Liu Thanks so much for your reponse and sorry it took so long to reply! I probably will reach out to you more as our April 2016 cruise nears if you don't mind. After my thorough reading it sounds like all ports are do-able on your own, except Livorno (Florence/pisa) because of how far it is? Is this true? I am trying to save money and book everything on my own..any tips on where to go, how to get around, if it is do-able, etc.! Greatly appreciate!
+Nick Duong I am very glad to answer your questions. According to our itinerary, the ship arrived at Livorno pier at 7 am on June 4, 2015. We left the ship before 8 am and took the shuttle bus to the Livorno Centrale train station (we bought tickets just beside the ship, round-trip 12 euros each person). Then we took 8:52 train and arrived in Firenze S. M. Novella (Florence) at 10:00 (round-trip 18.4 euros each person, travel time 1 hr 8 min or 1 hr 20 min). Since we had been to Florence and Pisa once before the cruise, we just went on a whistle-stop tour of Florence. We took 14:28 train at Firenze S. M. Novella (Florence) and returned to Livorno at 15:48. We were early enough to return. The ship asked the passengers to return before 6:30 pm and it would depart at 7 pm. I remember some passengers got off at Pisa train station to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa while we were on the train back to Livorno. Pisa is close to Livorno. Be sure to print the train timetable and map of Florence. I think it is easy for you to make arrangements for the trip.
Hi Again,
we're also stop in Sicily, palmero. Is there public transportation we can take, or should we book private tour(I have a tour guy quote for $320) and where do you recommends to go see. Thank you in advance.
+Q win The ship Epic didn't stop in Sicily, Palmero last time and I have never been there before, so I am sorry that I can't answer your question.
+Annie Liu
Thank you for your responded. I'll try to get information's as I can, maybe I can return the favor. Have as nice day!